doubts concerning whatsoever relates to faith, whether speculative or practical.'[1]
Suarez says, 'It is a Catholic truth, that the Pontiff defining ex cathedra is a rule of faith which cannot err, whensoever he proposes authoritatively anything to be believed of faith to the whole Church.'[2]
And in his treatise 'De Religione,' tract. ix. l. 3, c. 4, n. 5, speaking of the Bull of Gregory XIII., 'Ascendente Domino,' by which it is declared that simple vows constitute a true religious state, he says that the truth of this definition is 'altogether infallible, so that it cannot be denied without error. The reason is, because the sentence of the Pontiff in things which pertain to doctrine contains infallible certainty by the institution and promise of Christ, "I have prayed for thee."' Afterwards he adds, 'The providence of Christ our Lord over His Church would be greatly diminished if He should permit His Vicar, in deciding such questions ex cathedra, to fall into error.'[3]
- ↑ 'Oportet enim in Ecclesia ponere unum caput, ad quod pertinet declarare ilia quæ sunt dubia circa quæcumque ad fidem pertinentia, sive sint speculativa sive agibilia.'—Summa Theol. p. iii. tit. 22, c. 3.
- ↑ 'Veritas Catholica est Pontificem definientem ex cathedra esse regulam fidei, quæ errare non potest quando aliquid authentice proponit toti Ecclesiæ, tanquam de fide credendum.'—Suarez, De Fide, disp. v. sec. 8, tom. xiii. p. 94. Mentz, 1622.
- ↑ 'Omnino infallibilem, itaut sine errore in fide negari non possit. Ratio est, quia sententia Pontificis in his quæ ad doctrinam pertinent, infallibilem continet certitudinem ex Christi institution e et permissione: " Ego rogavi pro te." … Valde autem diminuta fuisset Christi Domini providentia circa suam Ecclesiam si in decidendis talibus quasstionibus ex cathedra Vicarium suum labi permitteret.'—Id. De Religione Soc. Jesu, lib. iii. c. 4, n. 5, tom. xvii. p. 427.
